The hack of the Office of Personnel Management Web site revealed personnel records and security-clearance files of federal employees and contractors that exposed sensitive information. About 22.1 million people were affected by the breach, which included not only federal employees and contractors, but their families and friends as well.

It is timely to note that National Fraud Awareness Week occurs this month. Fraud-fighting professionals from around the world convene to inform people about the threat of phone, internet, and mail fraud for in home and at the workplace. These professionals share tips for employers and employees equally to stay secure and protect their sensitive information.

GPO’s online bookstore has several books that can also benefit and educate people on fraud awareness. For instance, “Ponzimonium: How Scam Artists Are Ripping Off America” is an eBook that tells compelling stories about actual U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) cases stemming from investigations that began with the economic downturn. These are real cases, real fraudsters, with unfortunately, very real victims.

Another useful book that GPO has is the “2014 The FBI Story.” This book features an annual collection of news and feature articles from the FBI website and shows the agency’s most successful 2014 investigations and operations. It also covers an array of cases involving high profile crimes dealing with sex trafficking, serial killers, gangs, scams, frauds, and cybercrime.

With all the scams that are going around, hopefully everyone will take full advantage of these resources. Be mindful of the sites you give your personal information out to. Also remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

How do I obtain these resources?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.